Osteophyte induced adjacent pulmonary atelectasis and fibrosis
Lung
atelectasis • Osteophyte-induced atelectasis and fibrosis - Ganzer Fall bei Radiopaedia
Osteophyte induced adjacent pulmonary atelectasis and fibrosis are typically seen as focal pulmonary interstitial opacities adjacent to thoracic spinal osteophytes. They can be a relatively common finding in thoracic CT imaging.
Epidemiology
They are more common in older individuals.
Pathology
They are thought to represent a variable combination of compressive atelectasis +/- fibrosis (focal pulmonary fibrosis).
Location
They are typically seen involving the medial basal segment of the right lower lobe and posterior segment of the left lower lobe where osteophytes are more common.
Treatment and prognosis
Most are not thought to be of clinical significance and generally do not appear to progress and are not considered a pre-clinical form of more extensive fibrosing lung disease .
